Update and Silly Stuff

Ryan and I tell each other daily that we are glad to be together again. I didn't realize what I was missing until he was back. I need to write a country love song about it :) I didn't know I felt in danger until he was home to make me feel safe. I didn't know I felt lonely until he was there to make me feel companionship. I love, LOVE having him here!

We've caught up on the TV shows I DVRed while he was gone. We've talked about our time apart and how we've grown. He's been entertaining himself while I'm at work with new toys (guns and iphone 4). He helps around the house, so I haven't had the huge shock of more cooking or dishes. He's a sweet husband!

So, that's the Ryan stuff....

I thought you might also appreciate knowing a little about my day at school today.

I'm going to start the story by giving more details than you need...I've been giving a girl from the math class I teach rides to her dance class because it is on my way home and it is a help to her dad. Well, her dad brought me "chai" today. It was very sweet! Actually, he went to the gas station and got tea, cream, and sugar for me.

This same dad got our secretary something to drink, but she couldn't tell what. When I took my attendance sheet up to her, she asked me if I could tell. I looked at it and was tempted to take a drink, but I figured I should take the lid off. I am not sure what she thinks about sharing germs....but I quickly decided I didn't want to share germs. So, I popped the lid off! and spilled the mystery drink! on my off-white sweater! yay!

I said, "It's okay! It's okay! It's okay!" to reassure her that I wasn't mad or upset, but it sure was reassuring to me, too!

I went to the bathroom, tried to rinse the stains out, ended up with a wet, stained, off-white sweater. When I came back to the office, I was blessed by a mom who happened to have an extra large T-shirt with her. I came back downstairs to my classroom getting some questioning looks along the way :) Thank goodness I had a senior high class who could handle the brief distraction!

Long story short, it is a good thing my friend, Kim, lives near the school. She brought me a couple options. Whew!

And a bonus...

This is some of what I hear in a day:

"On the way to school and on the way home, I try to whistle to as many trees as I can."

"No one ever cares that I can put my leg behind my head."

"I never talked about shirts so much at school." (I have no idea what inspired that one!)

(singing) "...you will be attacked by a flaming rowboat..."

Talking about Robert Fulton owner of the first commercially successful steamboat: "People just call him Rob."

I hope I made you smile or laugh!

Jordon

The Night before Ryan Comes Home

Sometimes moms know just what to say to make it all better...

I had just about finished a blog post that inadequately described how I am feeling, and Mom called. I burst into tears on the phone with her.

I was feeling guilty because I am not as excited or happy as I think I should be. Everyone else asks me if I'm excited and they seem more excited than I am.

"I just want Ryan home. I'm not excited; I can't feel anything else until Ryan is home." I told her.

She told me that I can feel that. That it is normal and right. Half my heart is gone. It won't be whole until Ryan and I are home together. I've been through a hard year, and I'm feeling so many emotions right now.

Yes, Mom. Exactly.

If I've been calm, it's because the alternative would not be happy excitement it would be anxiousness (probably to the point that I could no longer function).

To reassure you, I understand and understood when you asked or said something, that you are happy for us and that you love us. I appreciate your love. Thank you.

I don't know quite how I feel right now or how I will feel tomorrow, and that is okay. I do love my husband very much. I do want him to be home with me more than I want anything.

Jordon

Scattered Thoughts about Flexibility

The other day I left work and stopped at the gas station. My boss pulled in right behind me. We had a little bit of a weird conversation.

"You know, there are many ways that being a teacher prepares you for being a mom," she said.

I nodded, "What way in particular are you thinking of right now?"

"Lots of ways, but in particular flexibility. If you aren't flexible as a mom, you'll be an unhappy mom."

Again, I nodded and smiled. I like that she knows I want to be a mom and that she loves me enough to share wisdom with me.

I struggled with small changes in plans when I was, I'm guessing, a pre-teen. I remember distinctly my mom saying, "Your life is going be really difficult if you don't learn how to go with the flow."

As I thought about what these two wise women said, the point they made was that plans will change and adaptation will be required of us. It is our attitude which is under our control. We can choose to anticipate a need for flexibility, be happy to make adaptations, and not be upset when we look back at a situation which didn't go our way. Or, we can be rigid, grouchy, and possibly regret that life didn't turn out the way we wanted.

Being a mom and being a teacher may require extra flexibility, and so does being a military wife. I don't deal with needing flexibility as much the spouses of active duty military, but I do deal with it. Right now, I have a huge need for flexibility. I would like to nail down Thanksgiving plans, but I don't know when Ryan will be home. So, I've just set my plans. I'll go with him, without him, or I won't go because I'm picking him up. People are continually asking me when he is coming home. I give as much information as I know, then shrug and say, "I'll take him when he comes!"

I think I do pretty well at being flexible. I will definitely continue to need it!

May life go the way you planned it, and may you go with the flow when it doesn't!

Jordon

Quit Complaining!

There is an awesome Max Lucado story in his book It's Not About Me. He talks about having issues with parents or in-laws, his wife, a camera, and his car. I don't remember it exactly except at the end of the story, he meets a happy boy who has nothing. The point of the story (as I remember it) is that if he didn't have all those blessings he wouldn't have been complaining. How often do I complain about my blessings?

This year I've gotten a new perspective on complaints. Reading Facebook posts has been difficult and downright maddening at times. I've read posts from women complaining about their husband's business trips (which last anywhere from 4 days to 3 weeks) and their children. I often feel like commenting, "I'll trade ya." Give me short business trips and children! Please!

I stop myself because I realize someday I probably will complain or seem to be complaining about my husband or my children. However, I know right in this moment how wonderful a blessing they are. (As for the business trips, I really don't think I'll ever complain about them, but I don't know what it is like with small children.)

The cure is to be constantly thankful. Instead of thinking about how awful it is to have my husband away, I am thankful that I have a wonderful husband. Instead of thinking about how awful it is to wait to have children, I am thankful that God has given me the opportunity to teach. Instead of thinking of the challenges I faced this year on my own (like mowing the lawn), I am thankful for the growth of my character.

Please don't complain or even semi-complain! Please, when your children frustrate you, sit back and be thankful for them before you put anything on Facebook. Please, when your husband goes away, be thankful he has a job.

It will help me not to think about punching you :)

Jordon